The present invention relates to vehicle flight guidance systems and more particularly to a system for the detection of the roll angle of guided missiles and other flight vehicles.
At the present time guided missiles and other flight vehicles are generally controlled by a three-axis gyro system which detects the pitch, yaw and roll (motion about the axis) of the flight vehicle. A gyro (automatic gyroscope) is a relatively complex, expensive and sensitive instrument. For example, it may include a moving body, a pick-off coil having fine wires and a shock protection system. When the guidance system is part of a tank-launched projectile system, it is required that it operate after prolonged storage and after being subjected to extended periods of shock and vibration due to movement of the tank over rough terrain. The gyroscope, since it is a relatively sensitive electro-mechanical system, is subject to failure due to adverse climatic storage conditions and the severe shock to which it may be subjected.